Restaurants

By Elena Berton

Bianco Nero looks so minimalist it can be easily missed on traffic-clogged Hammersmith Road, almost mistaken for an edgy art gallery. The white dining room, with a decor of herbs silhouetted against black canvas, has the kind of chic, sleek look that wouldn't seem out of place in trendy interior design magazines, or in a central London location. Despite the aspirations and the rarefied atmosphere, it's far from intimidating, and as a result it has managed to attract a crowd of affluent residents and local workers since opening in mid-October.

Although Bianco Nero bills itself as a place offering classic, simple Italian food, those expecting authentic fare should look elsewhere. The compact menu mostly features modern interpretations of traditional dishes or Anglo-Italian hybrids, with varying degrees of success.

Some edgier dishes failed spectacularly, such as an improbable starter of chunky, raw tuna cubes
coated in a honey, ginger and rosemary sauce, garnished with paper-thin apple slices and rocket leaves. Far more appealing was a dish of silky, supple ravioli filled with butternut squash and goat's cheese. Although it strayed off tradition, it relied on a simple combination of flavours, with the pungency of the cheese counteracting the cloyness of the squash.

Main courses were also uneven. A jarring mix of black olives and mashed potatoes marred an otherwise glossy, juicy shank of lamb. Much better was wood-oven roasted suckling pig on a bed of sautéed cavolo nero, a dark-leafed Italian cabbage. It came topped with a moreish sliver of crispy crackling, which counterbalanced the melt-in-the-mouth texture of the pork.

The own-made ciabatta bread turned out to be the real thing, whose signature feather-light, bubbly texture is obtained through a long fermentation process - sadly, this is a rarity in London. If Bianco Nero can sort out its teething problems, it could turn into the kind of chic neighbourhood restaurant we would all love to have on our doorstep.

Time Out London Issue 1943: November 14-20 2007